The Boy and the Namek
by SonChihan
Summary: The classic Disney musical story as told by with the characters and plot points from the classic anime we all know and love. A loose parody on the musical fairy tale genre, this is a mash up between Beauty and the Beast and DBZ's Saiyan Saga. Starring Piccolo and Gohan, it tells the story of their wonderful friendship in a medium that fits. NOT YAOI: FATHER-SON-TEACHER-STUDENT
1. Prologue

This is a sort of parody, so I don't expect anyone to take it too seriously. However, there are definitely some serious parts about it, just as there were serious parts in Beauty and the Beast and Dragonball Z. But the parts where I've rearanged the musical numbers to fit the story are definitely parodic. All characters, lyrics, and script similarities all belong to their respective owners. DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama, Beauty and the Beast and its songs belong to Disney and Randy Newman (if he indeed wrote those songs...I don't know if he did).

Note: Piccolo and his kin are referred to as demons, since that's what they were originally called in the show before they found out they were aliens, and since I'm basing this feudal Japan instead of France.

Enjoy!

The Boy and the Namek

Prologue

A long time ago, in a land far away, a small province was ruled by a Demon King. Though he had power and wealth, and the strange loyalty of his subjects, the King was cruel, ruthless, and unjust. He and his five sons were shielded by magic, their true forms concealed from the eyes of their subjects. There was one thing in the world the Demon King feared: the innocence that existed inside the young and the pure. Such rage did the King feel against the very idea of innocence, that he one day decided to erase it from his kingdom. He sent his five sons out into capital city to kidnap children and leave them in the dark forest beyond. If the children survived, their innocence would be eliminated, and the kingdom would be cleansed. Four out of five of the demon princes obeyed eagerly; the youngest, however, had his doubts. When he asked his father what harm could come from innocence, for he did not understand it, the Demon King asserted that innocence was an evil that could only be destroyed by their kind. The young prince could not help but believe his father's words, and so he joined his brothers in kidnapping the children of the capital.

When the five princes approached the dark forest, however, they found their path blocked by a withered old man. He cautioned the brothers on the severity of their crime, and told them that innocence was a treasure to be protected. The eldest prince scorned the old man, and attempted to force his way past him. However, the old man's strength was too great for any of the princes to contend with, and after he urged the captured children to return to the city, the old man chased the five princes deep into the dark forest. He radiated a power so frightful, the Demon King felt it from his own palace in the city. When he hurried to find the power, the Demon King was surprised to find his five sons being held captive by the withered old man. He tried to attack the man, confident in his abilities, but the old one easily defeated him.

In a flash, the withered old man's weak exterior dissolved, revealing a great celestial dragon. Overwhelmed, the Demon King begged the dragon's forgiveness, but the damage was done; the great dragon saw that there was no mercy in his heart. As punishment for his crimes, the dragon sealed the Demon King inside a rice cooker, and transformed it into a large and forbidding medieval castle. For their own twisted wills and loyalty to their evil father, the four princes were turned into statues for the castle: the three middle sons were made into statues for a fountain, and the eldest, the most evil, was put on the tallest tower, as a gargoyle. Their magic was stripped, and their demon forms were revealed, etched in stone. The dragon turned to the youngest prince, who was in a rage at the fates of his family. But as he prepared a punishment for the prince, the dragon saw something in him; a potential for real change. So, for failing to stand against his father and brothers, and for believing in his father's lies, the youngest demon prince was stripped of the magic that disguised him, revealing his true form. He was then banished to the depths of the castle, cursed to never set foot outside its walls.

Horrified at his unshielded appearance, the demon prince thought his banishment to be a blessing. But then the dragon revealed the other half of the curse: In the heart of the castle there grew a tree from the Demon King's homeland. From bud until bloom, it would grow until its eighth year of life; then, it would begin to die. If the demon prince could learn the true meaning of innocence, and earn the trust and love of the one who showed him its meaning, by the time the last leaf on the tree fell, then his imprisonment would end. But, if he did not complete this task, he would be condemned to remain trapped in the cursed castle for the rest of his life. As the years went by, he grew bitter and despaired, his father's demon spirit turning him against himself. His hope evaporated…for whom could trust a monster like him?


	2. Chapter 1

Here's where the musical aspect comes in. Again, all credit goes to the people at Disney who wrote these songs. The tunes are the same, but the lyrics have changed, and I apologize for how bad they probably are. However, this is a bit of a parody, so please don't take the songs too seriously. Side note: Italics are for song lyrics and internal dialogue.

The Boy and the Namek

Chapter 1

The little boy yawned and stretched noisily, staring bright-eyed into the morning sky. It was bright blue, with scattered clouds and plenty of birds streaking through the air. He glanced back inside his family's cottage, tying back his hair as he did. His parents were still asleep; he was clear to leave for the morning. The boy reached inside the door and picked up his hat from the chair beside the doorway. He slipped it on and headed out towards the forest surrounding their house. Just beyond the woods was the rest of the village of Mount Pouzu. The boy, hoping to arrive before the rest of the town woke up, headed out at a fast paced skip. He didn't slow until he was nearly out of the forest, panting and laughing excitedly. Running a hand through his long black hair, the little one began to hum to himself.

_Mount Pouzu, such a normal village._

_All its days, same as those before_

_Mount Pouzu, such normal people_

_Ready to greet the day…_

Windows and doors in the village flew open as the boy finally reached the town.

_Ohayo! Ohayo! Ohay ohay—Ohayo!_

The boy enthusiastically sang back, but he felt it was more to himself than to the townspeople.

_Right there's the town cook with his wears ready to sell_

_Hot buns and sweet cakes fresh laid out_

_Every day is gray and worn, as the day that I was born,_

_In this regular town._

"Good morning, Gohan," said the town cook as the boy passed by. Gohan looked up and smiled.

"Ohayo, Kazama-san," said Gohan.

"We're you going in such a hurry?"

**"**The blacksmith's forge; I asked for him to make me a sword. My dad paid**."**

"A sword? You?"

"Yeah! You know, so I can finally learn how to fight just like my da-"

"Yeah, okay, kid. Ayame! Rice balls! Chop chop!" Gohan rolled his eyes and went on his way.

_Look there he is, that boy is strange, yes indeed. He's attitude tends to beguile._

_He's always looking up._

_Never seeing where he stops._

_We can all agree he's a strange one, that child_

_Ohayo!_

_Hello!_

_How are you doing?_

_Ohayo!_

_Hello…_

_What's with the frown?_

_Fresh fish! Just caught!_

_No, not on my pay._

_There's got to be more outside Mount Pouzu town. _

Gohan smiled as he finally reached the blacksmith's forge. He grunted as he pushed open the heavy wooden door. The soot on the door dusted his tunic sleeves. The blacksmith looked up from his work desk, a hammer and tongs in his hands.

"Ohayo, Gohan!" he said, putting his tools down. The boy rushed over and bowed to the tall, muscular man.

"Hello, Hamachi-san. Is my sword ready yet?" The blacksmith smiled and pulled something out of a scabbard on his belt. It was a shining, silver katana, with a blackthorn handle.

"Just finished now; take it for a spin." Gohan took the handle in both his small hands, and promptly fell over from the weight of the sword. The blacksmith grimaced. "Oops. Guess I forgot who I was making it for." He picked up the sword and re-sheathed it. "It's not every day I craft a sword for someone smaller than my work bench." Gohan sighed and massaged his hands. He looked sadly across the forge, and something caught his eye.

"What about that one?" he asked. The blacksmith looked over to the small wooden sword lying against his anvil.

"That? That's just a measurement model I use when the samurai come from the city." Gohan picked up the sword and gave it a small swing.

"It's perfect!" He looked up eagerly at Hamachi. "Can I borrow it, just until my dad has enough to buy a new one?" Hamachi smiled.

"If you like it so much, you can keep it. Consider it paid for." Gohan's eyes widened.

"But…I can't…"

"I insist," said Hamachi, putting a hand on Gohan's shoulder. He steered the boy toward the door. "Now, run along." Gohan grinned.

"Thank-you…Oreigato! Bye –bye!" He ran out into the village streets.

_Look there he is that boy is so unusual. His thoughts are weird, his manner mild,_

_Far his mind wanders off,_

_But alone is good enough._

_It's difficult to comprehend that child._

Gohan stopped by the village well for a moment, examining his new polished wooden sword.

_Oh, I can't believe this. I actually don't know how to feel._

_If, when I'm in my own mind, I actually have something I can touch, to pretend it's real._

Gohan eagerly raced towards home, swinging his play sword as he went. A few of the village children watched him curiously as he passed them.

_Now since he's young he is still small and petite, adults think he's adorable._

_But under that cute smile, Gohan wants to run wild._

_So very much unlike all of us_

_Yes very much unlike all of us_

_He is so unlike all of us, that child._

One of the village children glared especially hostile after Gohan; a boy a year or two older than him, with short purple hair and heavy eyebrows. He watched the farm boy dragging his new wooden sword through town, occasionally stopping to practice with it. The older boy sniffed disdainfully, and then turned as the shop door behind him tinkled open. A large bald, thinly mustachioed man in loose samurai armor stepped out, followed by a shorter man wearing a shogun's hunting attire.

"Oh, Father," said the purple-haired boy, standing to join them. The shorter man looked down at him.

"What?" the lord asked. His son pointed down the road at Gohan. The lord saw the happy peasant child and raised an eyebrow. "What's a farmer's son doing with a sword?" His armored guard grunted absently.

"He's only a boy, my lord Vegeta-sama," said the guard, "and it's only a toy sword. Nothing you need be concerned with." Lord Vegeta snorted and strode off towards the boy.

"Doesn't matter," he said haughtily, "peasants should not have weapons; especially that idiot's son." He shook his head in disgust.

_I remember the day when that family moved here, I took one look and laughed out loud_

_Though farming is their trade, it's their behavior I find strange,_

_Chiefly their son who doesn't fit the crowd._

A group of young ladies coming out of a noodle stand excitedly stared at the nobleman as he strode past.

_Look there he is, our Lord Vegeta. He governs Mount Pouzu, he's well renowned!_

_So brave, so strong, and just too handsome,_

_His goal is to keep strange folk out of town._

Vegeta tried to catch up to young Gohan, but the market area of the town suddenly overflowed with villagers, as if some cue had signaled them to get in his way.

_Ohayo!_

_Move._

_Hello!_

_Excuse me._

_My lord._

_Oh, I'll take some!_

_My lord._

_How much?_

_My lord_

_-all out._

_My lord_

_-not here yet._

_Get out the way!_

_My lord._

_My lord._

_It's overdue!_

_I think you've missed him._

_There's got to be more outside Mount Pouzu town._

_That boy is strange, his father is a clown!_

Vegeta found his path blocked again.

_Look that's him right there, that boy's odd yet unique._

_He's a white coal on the black pile._

_If things were different, we might understand him,_

_For he is an outlandish boy._

_A truly quite eccentric boy._

_Yes he is such a bizarre boy,_

_That child._

Gohan paused and looked behind him, for he thought he heard a voice. But, the market area was just as busy as ever; nobody paid him any mind. He shrugged and continued on his way. However, the small boy found himself blocked by Trunks, the town governor's son.

"Well, hello there, Son Gohan-kun," said Trunks, smirking in a none-too-friendly way. Gohan smiled back, hoping his nervousness didn't show.

"Ohayo, Trunks-sama," he said, a little shakily. He didn't understand why Trunks made him nervous; the boy was only a few years older than him. Trunks looked at the wooden sword in Gohan's hands, and swiped it without a warning.

"Hey!" Gohan reached for his sword, but Trunks held it up out of his reach. Gohan pouted and stamped his foot in frustration. "Please, Trunks, give me back my sword." Trunks sniggered and juggled the sword around like a baton.

"Who do you think you are, buying a weapon like this?" said the nobleman's son, leaning in to sneer at Gohan in his face and still holding the sword out of reach. "You're a farmer's son, Gohan-kun, not a samurai." Gohan scowled, holding his ground against the older boy.

"It's just a toy, Trunks," he said, "My dad paid for it, so he could teach me how to fight." A pair of laughs, one low, one raspy, sounded behind him. Gohan turned around, and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Lord Vegeta, the governor of the village, and his body guard, Nappa, stood imposingly behind him, their lips curved in sneers.

"What have we here?" asked Vegeta, holding his hand out. Trunks gladly handed the wooden sword over to his father. Vegeta examined the wooden mock-weapon, running a finger along the blunt blade. Gohan bowed deeply to the nobleman.

"Ohayo, Lord Vegeta-sama," he said, looking sheepishly up at the dark-haired man. Vegeta looked down his pointed nose at the boy, his mouth drawn in contempt.

"Young Son Gohan," he said, "Son Goku's boy, right? Where did you get this fine…carving?" Gohan gulped

"Ha…Hamachi ma…made me a real sword, but it…it was too big for me. So, he let me have this one. It's a measurement model, sir." Vegeta and Nappa exchanged a look, then burst out laughing. Trunks sniggered, though not as loudly.

"A sword eh?" said Nappa, leering down at the poor boy. Gohan's stomach clenched. The guard was a giant, and he'd always made Gohan apprehensive. "You? You're what, five-years-old? What would you need with a sword?"

"And what's more," added Lord Vegeta, fixing Gohan with a cynical look. "You are a farmer's son. How could your father afford a weapon?" Gohan gulped.

"Well, we had a good crop this year," he said meekly, "so Dad had some extra money left over. He said that I was ready to learn how to fight like him, so I should get my own sword." He added, in a slightly more confident tone, "He fought in the war, you know; infantry first division." Vegeta let out a derisive laugh.

"Oh, I've heard all about your father's past achievements," he said, emphasizing the word past. "But that's just the thing; the war was almost ten years ago. It's in the past. Now Son Goku is a farmer, and in this town, farmers are not allowed weapons in times of peace." He smiled evilly at Gohan. "There hasn't been even the slightest mention of war in ten years. I'm afraid I'm going to have to confiscate this."

Gohan gaped up at Vegeta.

"But…But…!" he stuttered, looking back and forth between the two men. Vegeta and Nappa laughed at his stunned face. Trunks even went so far as to shove Gohan to the ground.

"Too bad, Gohan-kun," he jeered, kicking some dirt onto the younger boy's tunic. Gohan wasn't sure what to do; the governing lord of the town wasn't someone you could talk back to.

"Tell your father I'll make sure he gets refunded the next time harvest rolls around," said Vegeta. Gohan gasped.

"But that's not until next fall!" he said desperately. "Harvest was three months ago! You can't make us wait that long! Dad paid eighty zeni for that sword!" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.

"I'll have to ask Hamachi to consider her prices." Gohan felt tears rise in his eyes.

"Is that really necessary, Lord Vegeta-sama?" Gohan looked around behind him, and his face lit up like the sun. Son Goku stood behind his son, a farming hoe over his shoulder, and his straw hat hanging from the back of his head. Gohan got up and hugged his father's muscular leg. Goku gave Vegeta a sideways look, a wide, slightly faked smile on his face. "Is that the sword I paid for? Hamachi-san knows exactly what he's doing." He jerked his head at the wooden sword in the lord's hand. "I believe that belongs to my son, my lord. I paid good money for a sword so I could teach my boy to fight. I'll give up my sword for payment, if you wish, my lord." Gohan looked up in surprise at his father.

"What? You can't give up your sword, Dad!" Goku smiled, a little more genuinely, and patted his son on the head.

"If Lord Vegeta-sama would rather peasants didn't own an actual weapon, I'd gladly hand mine over, so long as you get to keep yours." He looked Vegeta straight in the eye. "As he said, what use has a farmer for a sword after ten years of peace? Of course, there's nothing wrong with a wooden practice sword, is there, my lord?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow again. Goku's smile stayed firmly in place. Gohan couldn't tell if he was being friendly or sarcastic. He didn't think Vegeta knew either. Finally, the nobleman shrugged and tossed the wooden sword onto the ground. Gohan hurriedly picked it up.

"Just don't let your son swing that thing around in the village again," the lord scoffed, turning back towards the main village. Goku gave an exaggerated bow.

"Your lordship is much too kind," he said, just barely keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. However, Vegeta did not ignore it. He looked back over his shoulder, a scorned look on his thin face.

"Tread carefully, Son Goku," he said, his voice forbidding. "You may have been a soldier in the old days, but you're nothing but a farmer now. I suggest you remember your place and stick to plowing your fields. Teaching your boy to fight is just a waste of time." Goku thinned his lips, but kept his face calm, and realigned his smile.

"I'll keep that in mind, my lord," he said. Vegeta sniffed, and strode away, his son on his heels and his bodyguard at his elbow.

Gohan let out a breath of air he didn't realize he had been holding.

"That was close," he said, looking admiringly up at his father. "Thanks Dad." Goku looked down and smiled at his son.

"What kind of father would I be if I couldn't defend my son's rights? Even if it is against the town's governing lord." He grimaced sourly. "Well, c'mon," he said, taking Gohan's little hand in his large, calloused one, "your mother should have breakfast ready for you by now."

Gohan's mother, Son Chichi, laid out some fresh eggs, rice, and seaweed in front of her son. "Here you go, sweetheart," she said, the cheery smile on her face seeming forced. When Gohan looked down at his plate, he understood why. The eggs turned out to be just an egg, the rice just a small pile, and the seaweed just a square. It was a small meal, even by farmer standards. Gohan half-heartedly spooned the egg into his mouth. Despite is young age, Gohan knew his family was poor. Most of the food they ate they grew or foraged themselves, the clothes they had were hand-made. Yet his parents almost always remained cheerful. The amount his parents had made during the last harvest had been the most money they earned in a couple of years, which was why his father had allowed himself to splurge a bit and spend money on a sword. But the chunk the sword had taken out of their earnings was more substantial than Goku had originally intended. Even now, as their young son ate his meager breakfast, Goku and Chichi discussed their standings in hushed tones.

"Really, Goku; eighty zeni for a wooden sword?" said Chichi, giving her husband an exasperated look. Goku shrugged, his face amused.

"At least Hamachi didn't charge us extra. Turns out the sword he made originally was too big for Gohan to lift. Trust me, this is a good deal." Chichi sighed.

"Even so, that was a big chunk of our savings, Goku," she said sternly. "Taxes are coming up soon, and I heard from Maru that Lord Vegeta is increasing the intake this year." Goku frowned, and clenched a fist.

"That Vegeta," he said angrily, "just because he owns the town doesn't mean he owns everything we make in it. He knows it's difficult for us in the outskirts to make as much money as the townsfolk." Chichi took his hand, her face concerned.

"You shouldn't let him get to you so much," she said gently. "When it all comes down to it, you're twice the man he is." Goku gazed at his wife, and smiled.

"You're the woman behind this man," he said, reaching up to stroke her cheek. Chichi smiled back and kissed his hand.

"Besides," she said, getting up to go fetch something from the cupboard, "He's not nearly the swordsman you are. You could beat him in a fight easily." Goku raised an eyebrow.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" he asked. "I haven't fought anyone in ten years; Vegeta trains regularly, and he's wicked with a spear. Any training I do I do on my own." Chichi snorted.

"You know I believe in you, Goku," she said as she opened the cupboard door, "I always d—". But Chichi suddenly stopped talking. Both Goku and Gohan looked up at her.

"What's wrong Chichi?" asked Goku. Chichi looked around at him, her face suddenly worried. Goku got up and stood beside her. "Chichi?" He touched her shoulder. She gave him a wide-eyed look that Gohan did not miss.

"We're out of lemongrass," she said softly, pointing to the empty cabinet. Goku's face darkened and Gohan let out a gasp. Lemongrass was the only thing that Chichi used in tea, and it was her cure-all for illness and injury. Gohan hadn't had a single cold or flu since he was a baby thanks to his mother's lemongrass tea. Without it, the coming winter could be dangerous. Goku glanced at his son. Gohan gulped at the look on his father's face. Goku was worried, but determined.

"No problem," he said, falsely cheerful, "I'll go get some more." This statement should have been just a statement; gathering herbs was a common farmer's pastime. But lemongrass was rare in the Mount Pouzu area; it usually only grew in the dark forest far beyond the river. This was why the Son family usually stocked up on the stuff as much as they could before winter set in. During the dark and cold season, aggressive creatures, both natural and supernatural, tended to become more active. Winter was just starting to set in; getting lemongrass now would be risky. Gohan watched the expressions change on his father's face. He knew the risk if he went to get the herbs, but they were outweighed by the risk of not getting them at all.

"But Goku," Chichi began, but Goku raised a hand for her to stop.

"It's alright, Chichi," he said, putting on a smile. "We need the lemongrass, and it's not deep winter quite yet. I'll leave right now and be back before nightfall." Chichi opened her mouth to protest, but Goku gently put a finger to her lips. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm an infantry man, remember?" Gohan put a hand on his dad's forearm.

"Are you sure, dad?" he asked. Goku put a hand on his son's head.

"Don't sweat it son," he said, "I'll be back in no time."

Goku kept his word and prepared to leave an hour later. He packed up a canteen of well water and some rice balls, and strapped his old broadsword to his back. Chichi and Gohan saw him off at the boundary of their land, where the bridge over the river led to the road to the woods. The family plow-dragon, Icarus, was saddled up and ready to go. Chichi's eyes watered, but she didn't dare cry in front of her son. Goku gave her his usual smile and kissed her, first on the cheek then on the mouth.

"Don't worry about me, Chichi," he said, hugging her tightly, "I'll be back in no time. It's just on the other side of the trees." Chichi nodded, but couldn't say anything for fear of breaking down. She simply kissed her husband once more on the mouth, and squeezed his hand. Goku then reached down and ruffled his son's hair. "Sorry I won't be able to teach you how to use that sword yet. I'll make it up to you as soon as I get back. I promise." Gohan nodded, giving his father's legs a hug.

"Don't take too long Dad," he said, looking up bright-eyed. Goku nodded, smiling.

"I won't. Take care of your mom while I'm gone." He gave the two of them a thumbs-up and climbed onto Icarus's back. "Don't wait up!" He spurred the dragon up into the air. Icarus flapped his young wings and launched himself off the ground. Gohan watched his father disappear into the blue sky, a feeling of anxiety dropping into the pit of his stomach. For some reason, he felt as if events were aligning to result in something bad happening, as if his life might take a wrong turn. Chichi took his hand, drawing the boy back to reality.

"Well, no use standing here forever," she said, her face stern. Gohan nodded, and allowed his mother to pull him back down the road towards home.

Goku guided Icarus over the tops of the pine trees as they grew thicker and thicker the farther they flew from Mount Pouzu. Soon neither of them could see a road or house anywhere. It was late in the afternoon when Goku finally spotted the glen in the woods where he usually picked lemongrass in the spring. Hopefully there was still enough left to see his family through the winter. Goku gave Icarus a kick and a slight tug of the reins, and the dragon banked down in a spiral towards the glen. The light instantly dimmed as the two of them descended into the shade of the thick black pine trees, and the soft grass muffled Icarus's landing to a dull thud. Goku hopped off of the dragon's back and looked around. The faint light from the trees made it difficult for him to spot the lemongrass among the regular grass. But it wasn't long before he spotted the crisp, bluish-green clumps of the herb growing at the base of an old tree.

"Here we are," he said, smirking triumphantly. He patted the dragon on the nose. "That was easy. Stay, Icarus." The purple dragon tweeted excitedly, and started rooting through the grass for grubs. Goku knelt by the grass and started to pluck the stalks in handfuls. The herb grew in small patches, so Goku found he had to move from tree to tree around the glen to gather enough to fill his pack. It was slow work, since he had to make sure he got enough of the grass stalk without pulling up the root (the root was useless to him). By the time Goku had filled his pack with enough lemongrass to keep his family satiated, the sun had already set, and the sky had turned purple. "Well, I think that's enough for one day. I could always come back and get some more," he said, getting up and stretching. He was used to a stiff back and knees, spending most of his days working in the rice fields, but his neck hurt a bit from being curled over. "Let's go, Icarus," he said. The dragon looked up and cawed at his master. "Yep, I agree," said Goku. Icarus scratched his horns with a claw, but then suddenly stopped, and looked around. Goku frowned when he saw the dragon's shoulders shake. "Icarus?" he said, approaching the dragon. Icarus snapped at him, and continued to look nervously around. Goku's frown deepened. Icarus only got aggressive when something was really wrong with him. "What's wrong, boy?" Goku asked, reaching out and clasping the dragon's reins. Icarus cawed and tugged at the reins, whisking his tail back and forth. "Calm down, you silly lizard!" Goku barked, reaching up and seizing the bridle around the creature's muzzle. Icarus cawed again, his huge eyes glaring meaningfully at his master. Goku grunted, thinking the dragon was just hungry, when he suddenly heard an unsettling sound. A rustling, from somewhere among the trees surrounding them, reached Goku's ears. He looked into the gloom of the trees, having to squint in the gathering dark, and his stomach lurched. Dark shapes were lurking around the edges of the glen, staying within the shade of the trees. Goku couldn't quite make out a full image of the creatures lurking in the dark, but they were definitely inhuman. "Okay," Goku whispered, taking his hand off of Icarus's bridle but not off the reins. The dark shapes grew more active, flitting between the trees. Goku couldn't tell how many there were, since the shapes were darting around so quickly. He heard muffled growls and snorts, a few squeals here and there. Goku squinted as the dark got deeper. The creatures seemed to sense the man's impending hindrance, and moved closer towards the edge of the glen. Goku slowly raised his hand behind his head, reaching for his sword.

Instantly, a whole pack of short, green, plant-like creatures leaped out from the shadows and lunged at the farmer and his dragon. Icarus let out a panicked shriek and took off into the sky. "ICARUS!" Goku looked wildly up at his fleeing steed, before leaping out of the way just in time to avoid being slashed by the claws of a pack of attacking saibamen. He rolled several feet into the tree line, then jumped to his feet and drew his broadsword. The saibamen surrounded him in a flash, snarling and swiping their claws. Goku lashed out with his sword at any that tried to come near, but they leapt nimbly out of the way. They pressed forward, driving Goku away from the light of the glen, until he could only make out their glowing red eyes. "Get…away!" he snarled, swiping at the creatures with his broad blade. The saibamen started to jeer, like laughing humans. Goku looked behind him, and felt his stomach drop. He stood at the edge of a quarry that dropped off from the rest of the forest like a shelf. One saibamen took advantage of Goku's distraction and sprang. Goku looked around and yelled at the claws coming straight at his face. In a panic, Goku jumped backward, right over the edge of the quarry.

Goku tumbled head over heels down the quarry, yelling each time his butt or head hit the ground. The saibamen chittered, but for some reason didn't follow. After what seemed like forever, Goku finally skidded to a halt at the bottom of the incline, his sword slowly sliding down behind him. Goku groaned and rubbed the back of his head, and looked back up the quarry at the pack of saibamen. They were chittering and cackling like hyenas, pacing back and forth trying to find an easy way down the sharp incline. Goku knew they would eventually figure out how to get down to him, and he wasn't keen to be around when they did. He looked around in front of him, and was surprised to find himself sitting at the foot of a pair of huge wrought-iron gates. But he didn't have long to wonder what a gate was doing in the middle of the dark forest; he could hear the scraping sounds of saibamen feet picking their way down the quarry. Goku quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed the gates. He half expected the gates to resist his tug, but instead they fell open at his weight. Goku fell inside the gates, and quickly kicked them shut when he heard the sound of saibamen claws scrabbling toward him.

The saibamen snarled and screeched when they failed to push the gates open. Goku crawled backward, his chest heaving. He cursed when he spotted his broadsword sitting on the other side of the gate, beneath the feet of the pacing saibamen. "Damn," he snarled. He couldn't very well reach out and get it, unless he wanted his arm chomped off. Goku stood up, brushing himself off, checking himself for damages. His hat was still on the string around his neck, but it was a little crushed from his tumble down the slope. His pack was, thankfully, still around his shoulder, so he hadn't lost any lemongrass. "At least I wouldn't have made the trip for nothing. Stupid dragon." Goku would have a serious talk with his wife about training the flighty animal. Goku sighed, and then turned around to try and get his bearings. What he saw behind him was even more surprising than the gate he had just passed through. A huge, imposing, black-and-scarlet castle loomed above him, perched on a plateau overlooking a deep ravine. A stone bridge led from the gate and its surrounding wall to the castle. The slanted roofs had to be bigger than his house alone. "Whoa," Goku sighed, "I bet not even the emperor lives in a place this nice." He whistled, his eyes roving over the thick columns, ebony-plaited frescoes, and the blood-red tones of the pagoda towers and walls. As he scanned the grand height of the towering structure, Goku noticed the clouds above moving quickly to cover the moon. He sensed what was about to happen a second before it happened. "Oh sh—" Thunder clapped with a roar and rain dumped full force on the farmer's head. Goku cursed and pelted across the bridge towards the castle.

Goku pounded on the huge red-and-gold doors, expecting to have to holler his lungs out to be heard. However, the heavy wooden doors simply fell open. Goku, surprised, poked his head inside the doorway. A huge entrance hall spread out before him, lined with scarlet columns and gold-plaited carvings. The ceiling was so tall he could barely make it out. Lanterns of different shades of green, purple, and red illuminated the place. Goku stepped in, dripping cold rainwater onto the lush woven rug. He looked curiously around. "Hello?" he asked. The answering echo surprised him; the place was even bigger than he first thought. "Hello? Helloooooo?" The third time he called, Goku swore he heard another voice ride his echo.

"Poor guy; he must've lost his way in the woods."

"Hello? Is ah, anyone there?" Goku listened intently.

"Don't say anything. Maybe if he doesn't hear anything, he'll go away." Goku frowned. Someone was messing with him.

"Okay, really, come on, seriously. If someone's there, I need help." He walked a little farther into the entrance hall. "I got attacked by saibamen, and my dragon ran off…eh, flew off. My sword is out there too, and I've got a pack full of lemongrass I've got to get back to my family. If I could just stay for the night, I'd sure be grateful." He listened, and this time he was sure he heard someone speak, quietly, in a whisper, but definitely audible.

"I said no! He shouldn't be here. Not a word."

"Please! I can hear you." Goku crossed his arms, scowling, and listened.

Behind one of the wooden columns, two shadows peered out at the stranger that had entered their home. The shadows inched a little farther into the open, their shapes revealing in the lantern light. A small old clock wobbled over to stand under the lantern light, the three eyes on his polished face glued to the visitor, his little hash-mark mouth drawn in a frown. His stubby arms were placed firmly on either side of his round frame, where he should have had hips. Beside him, a sandal with legs and arms also stared wide-eyed at the stranger, his mouth open in surprise.

"Poor guy," said the sandal, looking pleadingly at the clock. "Look at him, he's soaked. Must've started raining outside; we've got to at least let him sit down for a bit." The clock glared at the sandal.

"He shouldn't even be here," snapped the clock, "and if we just ignore him, maybe he'll leave."

"Don't be so heartless," whispered a third voice. The clock and the sandal looked up. One of the red lanterns suddenly sprouted arms and legs, and looked accusingly down at the clock with three eyes. His face was papery, and a glowing scar the shape of an X was stretched across one cheek. "The poor guy's lost. He's dripping water everywhere; if we don't get him somewhere warm, he could get sick." The clock snorted.

"He shouldn't be here at all, Yamcha," said the clock gruffly, turning his clock face away from the sight of the man. Almost in response, the stranger sneezed violently. The sandal sighed.

"Don't be so wound-up, Tien," said the sandal, trying not to laugh at his own pun. Tien the clock scowled.

"Just leave it," said the clock, turning to walk the other way.

"Bah! Do what you want!" The lantern, Yamcha, unhooked himself from the wire from which he and the other lanterns hung, and swung hand under hand towards the stranger. Tien the clock gasped.

"No! Yamcha!" he hissed, reaching after the brachiating lantern. The sandal beside him snorted, and scurried to join the other object. "Krillen!" Tien grabbed his face, then, frustrated, hobbled after the two of them.

Goku was beginning to think the huge place was empty, when suddenly a voice called to him from some unknown direction.

"Kyo-san, you are most welcome!" Goku looked around wildly.

"Who said that?" he asked. He noticed a red lantern hanging from a hook on one of the columns beside him. He picked it up and held it out in front of him to better illuminate his sight.

"Who said that?" he asked, searching the dark.

"Right here," said the voice, from somewhere behind him. Goku turned around.

"Where?" Something tapped his shoulder. He looked to the side, and found himself face-to-face with a lantern with a scarred face and arms and legs.

"Kon'nichiwa," said the lantern, grinning.

Goku yelled and dropped the lantern, which let out a muffled "Oof!" when it hit the floor. Goku stared at the lantern, jaw agape.

"What the…?" Goku stepped back a couple of feet, unable to fathom what he was seeing. Suddenly, two more small objects appeared out of the dark, running to the fallen lantern's side. An old clock with three eyes and a hash-mark mouth shook his round metal body from side to side, like he was shaking his head, and a straw sandal with large eyes and six dots down the center of its front sole helped the lantern to its feet.

"Well, great job, Yamcha," said the clock tersely, glaring at the lantern with this three eyes. "I tell you to keep your mouth shut, and you go and do the exact opposite. How do expect us to explain this?" He jabbed a finger in Goku's direction. Goku's cheek twitched; he wasn't quite sure what to think of what he was seeing. The clock glowered at Goku, and Goku suddenly felt humbled, as though the clock's spirit was pressing on his. "What are you looking at, human?" Goku shook his head. "What, you've never seen a zokigami before?" Goku tensed at the sound of the word. He knew it, from old legends. Suddenly the realization hit him; he was in the company of spirits. Instantly, Goku fell to his knees in a peasant bow.

"I'm sorry, spirits!" he said shakily, his eyes wide and pleading. "I didn't know I was in a sacred place…or a haunted place. Please, forgive me." The clock grimaced, but put his hands on his not-hips and nodded.

"You should be sorry," he said pugnaciously, "to have entered this…um…holy—no—haunted place, you should be very, very sorry!" Goku gulped, but the sandal beside the clock snorted and shoved the clock out of Goku's face.

"Stop it, Tien," he said, glaring at the clock. "You're freaking the guy out for no reason." The sandal turned with a smile to Goku, who was still down in a peasant bow. "Don't mind him, kyo-san; he's just a bit tightly-wound." Goku couldn't help but chuckle at this. His laugh, however, was cut off by a violent sneeze. The sneeze nearly blew the sandal off his small feet. Goku shivered in the aftermath of his sneeze. He hadn't realized how cold he was. The lantern, Yamcha, approached, making a concerned noise.

"You look terrible, kyo-san; all cold and wet from that rain, right?" He looked meaningfully at the sandal. The sandal nodded, giving the clock another shove. Yamcha beckoned for Goku to stand back up, which Goku did, still shivering. "Please follow us, kyo-san. You can come warm up by the fireplace." Tien the clock made an exasperated noise.

"No! He should leave right now! You know what the lord will do if he finds out someone is here!" He hobbled after the little group as they led the visitor down the entrance hall and through a side passage to a large sitting area, made with high green walls and a grand fireplace carved with ornate images of dragons and monsters around the hearth. A lush lounging sofa, the kind great nobles sat on, was situated in front of the fire. Krillen the sandal and Yamcha the paper lantern led Goku over to the sofa and insisted he sit. Goku gladly plopped down on the soft cushions, reveling in the warmth spreading over him from the fire. Tien the clock stared in horror at the stranger in the sofa. "He's…sitting in…the lord's…oh, Gods!" He covered two of his eyes, and cursed at not being able to cover his third. Goku sighed, and tensed slightly when he felt something settle on him. But when he looked he saw it was only a warm, wool blanket, drawn over him by some invisible force. Goku glanced around for some sign of who had given him the blanket, but there was no one around, save for Yamcha the lantern and Krillen the sandal, who were busy putting extra logs on the fire.

"Um," said Goku, a little unsettled now. Yamcha looked up and smiled with his papery smile.

"Yes, kyo-san?" he asked pleasantly. Goku held up the blanket.

"Who, um, gave me this?" he asked. "It's great, but I didn't see who gave it to me." Krillen and Yamcha glanced at each other, their expressions unreadable, but then Yamcha turned smiling back to Goku.

"Would you like some tea, kyo-san?" he asked. Goku raised an eyebrow at the paper lantern's complete ignoring of his question. But he decided to play along.

"Sure," he said, putting his smile back on. It was partially genuine; he was starting to feel a bit better already, warmed by the fire and the sofa. Yamcha clapped, then put two fingers to his paper lips and whistled shrilly. Tien the clock gasped and made a shushing noise.

"Launch-san!" he called, in the direction of a doorway off to the side of the sitting room. "Launch, we need tea, stat!" Goku looked in the direction of the doorway, and inhaled in surprise when a beautiful ornate wooden tea caddy came hopping in all on its own, a tea cup in one slender hand, and the other hand keeping a hold on its lid. The caddy was painted yellow, with purple flowers curling around its circumference. Its face was made of a series of carvings in the smooth wood, the features feminine. Unlike the other possessed objects, the caddy had only arms and hands, no legs or feet.

"There's no need to shout, Yamcha!" the tea caddy snapped in a harsh female voice. Goku was surprised such a tough tone could come from such a beautiful object.

'_Is everything in this castle alive_?' he wondered. The tea caddy hopped over to the sofa, then launched itself up onto one of the pouf arms, smiling crookedly at Goku.

"Evening, kyo-san," she said, her tone still harsh, almost enough to make her greeting sound cynical. Goku bowed his head, surprised. "The name's Launch; what can I do you for?" Before Goku could answer, Launch the tea caddy sniffed, and sneezed violently.

"Bless you!" said Goku quickly, but he gasped in surprise when he realized that at the sneeze, the tea caddy changed color in a blink. Her wood shifted from yellow to purple, and her flowers turned from purple to yellow. Launch blinked, and smiled kindly.

"What kind of tea would you like, kyo-san?" she asked sweetly. Goku's eyebrows lifted. Even her voice was different; instead of harsh and deep, it was soft and high, more feminine. Goku shook himself, trying to accept that things were happening he was just not going to understand.

"Um, what kind do you have?" he asked. Launch obligingly lifted her lid and tilted herself forward, so Goku could look inside.

"I've got green tea, vanilla tea, chamomile tea, lemongrass tea, honey tea, chocolate tea, mint tea, peppermint tea, earl grey, berry tea…" She rattled off several different kinds, and indeed, there was a myriad of tea bags inside her. Goku couldn't believe that many could fit in one tea caddy. Half of them he had never even heard of.

"Um," he said, putting a finger to his chin. As he thought, Launch sneezed again, and her color changed from purple and yellow back to yellow and purple.

"Hurry up and pick one!" she snapped, back to her harsh voice. Goku started, suddenly afraid.

"I…I'll have lemongrass," he said meekly, afraid to make her angry. Launch huffed, and handed him the tea cup.

"Just a sec," she said, and snapped her lid shut. Goku was about to ask why, when Launch proceeded to shake herself up and down vigorously, her face screwed up in concentration. Goku stared. The tea caddy shook herself for exactly twenty seconds, then stopped, breathing heavily. She pointed to the cup in Goku's hand. "Cup out," she said. Goku obediently held his cup towards her. Launch lifted her lid, and carefully tipped herself towards the cup. Instantly, steaming, sweet-smelling yellowish tea poured out over the brim of her top and into the cup. When it was full, Launch righted herself and put her lid back on. Goku stared at his cup, mouth open in surprise. Launch sneezed again, and changed color. "Please, enjoy, kyo-san," she said pleasantly. Before Goku could respond, she hopped off the sofa and onto the floor to stand beside Tien the clock. Tien groaned.

"Tea? Really?" He glared at Launch, who merely smiled and patted his hand.

"Oh, don't be such a grump, Tien-sa," she said sweetly. Goku looked at his cup, and shrugged, and took a sip. He sighed; the tea was excellent, just like Chichi brewed.

As Goku sipped, Krillen the sandal removed his wooden sandals. Goku looked questioningly at the object, but Krillen waved dismissively.

"I'll just dry these for you," he said. He tapped each shoe twice, and the water on them steamed and evaporated. Goku shook his head, not even trying to comprehend. He just sipped his tea, reveling in the warmth that slowly spread through his body. However, a small rattling suddenly distracted him. Goku looked over his shoulder, where the rattling was coming from between the cushions.

"Um," he said again. Suddenly, a set of Shinto prayer beads shimmied out from under a cushion, and hopped up onto Goku's shoulder. The beads looked ordinary, made from green and yellow glass, but the pendant that hung from it had a face on it instead of a character. The face was chibi—child-like—with pale skin, red cheeks and big shining eyes. The eyes blinked innocently up at Goku. Despite its unsettling appearance, Goku couldn't help but smile. "Hello there," he said, scooping up the beads and holding them in front of him. "What's your name?"

"Chiaozu," said the little one meekly. Goku grinned.

"Hi, Chiaozu, I'm Son Goku."

The pendant opened his little mouth to reply, but suddenly, a chilling cold settled over the room, and he fell silent. Goku tensed, a horrible feeling of dread settling in his stomach. Somewhere behind them, a set of doors banged open. Chiaozu the prayer beads leapt out of Goku's hand and scooted behind Launch the tea caddy, who had started to shake in fear. Yamcha and Krillen gulped and moved away from Goku, their wide eyes cast downward. Tien the clock inhaled sharply and stood in front of Launch and Chiaozu. The roaring fire suddenly flickered out, leaving Yamcha's red glow as the only light.

"Oh, boy," said Krillen ominously. Goku shivered, not daring to speak. A low rumble sounded from the far end of the room, behind the sofa, where the doors had banged open. Goku wanted to look, but fear paralyzed him. A deep, raspy voice unexpectedly sounded from the direction of the doors.

"Is there a stranger here?" The voice was terrible, radiating with frightening power. Goku shook beneath his blanket, suddenly feeling very cold and vulnerable. The living objects on the floor cowered, but did not retreat. Yamcha the lantern stood forward, trembling.

"My lord, if I may explain," he said shakily, glancing towards the newcomer, "the man was attacked by saibamen out in the woods. He lost his sword, and he got stuck out in the rain, so we thought maybe he could use some help…" An unknown force like a gust of wind threw Yamcha back a few feet, sending him sprawling on his back by the hearth. "Pardon me," said the lantern shrilly, getting to his feet and bowing. The rest of the objects bowed as well. Tien the clock looked beseechingly up at whomever it was they were so afraid of.

"My lord, I tried to tell them not to let him in," he said, wringing his hands. "I told them outsiders were not allowed here, but they wouldn't listen to me. I swear, we would never really disobey—" But he too was cut off by an invisible force that sent him sprawling on his round back a few feet away. Launch and Chiaozu quickly backed away, their eyes cast downward. Goku gulped as he heard heavy footsteps approach the sofa. He looked to one side, and couldn't see anything, then looked to the other side, and found himself facing a pair of knees sheathed in blue fabric. He gulped, and looked up. The owner of the knees was at least six foot six, clothed in a blue sleeveless dogi with a purple belt. A maroon cloak hung around his shoulders, and a word spelled in angry black characters blazed on the front of his shirt. But, of course, it wasn't his clothes that frightened Goku. The face above the clothes was frightening enough. The man, or maybe not a man at all, had green skin, pointed ears, and antennae sprouting from a bald forehead. His mouth was drawn back in a snarl, revealing wicked fangs. His arms were muscular, and just as green as his face. His shoulder, upper arm and forearm muscles were exposed, pink and rippled. Goku felt like his insides fell out.

"I…I…" he stuttered. The monster snarled and grabbed Goku by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the sofa, bringing his face up close to his.

"Who are you, peasant?" he snarled. Goku shuddered, terrified by the creature's visage. "And why are you in my domain?" Goku shook his head, unable to say anything out of fear. The monster lord growled, and threw Goku aside. Goku yelled as he flew away to the sofa and to the floor. Goku rubbed his head, and gasped as the monster approached him. "You are not welcome here," he snarled. "No one comes here. You're trespassing, peasant!" Goku backed away, his breath coming out in rapid gasps. He wondered if, maybe, he should be more respectful; after all, the spirits were calling the green man a lord. Goku inhaled and quickly bent himself over into a low bow.

"P—Please, oh great lord! I didn't mean to trespass! I was lost in the woods, and I was attacked by saibamen. My dragon flew off, and I lost my sword. I was only looking for a place to stay. Please, great lord, forgive my carelessness!" Goku looked pleadingly up the monster lord, who was suddenly illuminated by the light from the hallway, and noticed something he hadn't before. The word on the green man's dogi said "Demon." Goku tilted his head, and peered at the man's green face. It looked strangely familiar, as if he had seen it in some picture somewhere. A picture… Goku gasped again, his eyes widening.

"You…" he choked, slowly rising to his knees. He pointed at the monster's face. "You…you're of…the demon clan?" The green man's face contorted in horrible rage.

"Yeah, what of it?" Goku's mouth stretched in horror. He backed away.

"You look like him…but you're not…you can't be…" The demon stepped toward him, baring his fangs.

"Can't be what, the heir of the Demon King?" He moved so suddenly that he disappeared to Goku, and then reappeared inches from his face. He stretched his mouth in a terrible smile. "Does that frighten you, poor man? Do I frighten you? Is that why you came here?" He pressed even closer to Goku, his terrible smile widening. "You came here to see for yourself the face of the Demon King's heir?" Goku shook his head, trying to back away. But the demon grabbed his shirt again and lifted him off the ground.

"Please! I didn't mean any harm! I have a wife, a son! I only came here to get out of the rain!" The demon lord chuckled evilly, but then glared again.

"Just needed to get out of the rain, eh? Just needed a place to stay, right? Oh, I'll give you a place to stay, peasant." With a snarl, the demon flew out of the room, dragging Son Goku behind him. The living objects looked on helplessly, powerless to stand against their terrible master, hearing Goku's screams echoing throughout the castle.


	3. Chapter 2

Sorry if this part is short. For some reason the blocking bug has bit me. Enjoy! Also, I forgot to mention that Piccolo is going to wear his father's outfit only for the first part of the story. Don't worry; he will be donning his cape and turban.

The Boy and the Namek

Chapter 2

Gohan swung his wooden sword around, trying to mimic the forms he had seen his father practice during the lax season. Of course, his balance always seemed off, and his arc was never straight. Without Goku to show him what to do, Gohan was basically left swinging a stick. He soon grew tired from his constant swinging, and had to stop to catch his breath. Gohan put his sword down and sat on the front steps of his house, looking up at the sky and wiping sweat from his brow. It was early morning, the next day since his father left the previous evening to gather lemongrass in the dark forest. His failure to come home in the time he promised greatly worried Chichi, distracting her so much she could not concentrate on morning chores. Gohan felt a little worried as well, but he had faith in his father, and maintained that he would keep his word to his family. The bright side was Chichi's distraction made her oblivious to Gohan's lagging in his chores and studies for the morning. As soon as he had gotten the chance, the boy had slipped out the door to practice with his sword.

_'Dad said he'd be back soon_,' Gohan thought, watching clouds roll by in the bright blue sky. '_He wouldn't keep us worrying on purpose_.' The boy shivered as a dark thought crossed his mind. He had heard of monsters in the forest preying on anyone who dared stay in their territory for too long, but Goku was traveling by dragon, so he shouldn't have been in too much danger… Gohan sighed and put his chin in his hand. '_I just hope he gets enough lemongrass so Mom won't yell at him_.' Gohan yawned and stretched, bending to pick his sword up again. Heavy footsteps from the path ahead made the boy pause, his fingers touching the smooth wood of his sword. Something in the weight of the footfalls made Gohan nervous, so he didn't want to look up right away. However, he didn't have a choice when he heard a familiar grating voice sound above his head.

"Ohayo, Son Gohan," said Lord Vegeta, smiling in a none-too-friendly way. His bodyguard, Nappa, stood beside him, a daito slung over his huge shoulder. Gohan smiled as pleasantly as he could, but he felt his cheek twitch with nervousness.

"Ohayo, Lord Vegeta-sama," he said, his voice slightly shrill. He picked up his sword and sat back on the step of his house. He bowed his head to the nobleman, feeling very, very small underneath the contemptuous gaze of the gargantuan Nappa. Lord Vegeta seemed completely unabashed by the boy's nervousness.

"Might I ask where your father is, young Gohan?" he asked. Gohan gulped. He figured the nobleman had been patrolling the rice fields and noticed Goku was not among the workers.

"He's…um…" For some reason, Gohan felt like it wasn't safe to tell Vegeta exactly where Goku was, for fear of making his father sound shifty to be skipping his work. Luckily, at that moment, the door to the cottage opened, and Son Chichi stepped out into the sunlight. Her expression at seeing the two high-ranking villagers at her doorstep was, at first, surprised, but she quickly hid it behind a polite smile.

"Why, Lord Vegeta-sama," she said pleasantly, stepping down to stand by her son. She bowed, and Vegeta inclined his head. "What a pleasant surprise; what brings you out to the farming district so early in the morning?" Vegeta smiled, showing his teeth.

"I just happened to be in the neighborhood," he said, "and I noticed that your husband wasn't out in the fields yet. Is everything alright?" Chichi made a funny little noise that sounded like a nervous laugh.

"Oh, Goku just went out the forest to pick some lemongrass," she said, shrugging one shoulder. "He'll be back later today; I'll get out to that field myself in just a little bit. He took our plow dragon, so I'm afraid I've got my hands full." Vegeta's smile dropped a little bit, one eyebrow rising.

"Gone out, has he?" he said, placing his arms behind his back. Chichi nodded, still smiling. Gohan looked back and forth between the two of them. "Well, I hope he won't take too long, seeing as your farm has been…lagging as of late."

Chichi dropped her pleasant smile and frowned at the nobleman.

"And, what is that supposed to mean, my lord?" she asked, putting as much disdain into the last two words as she could. Vegeta chuckled and shrugged, holding his hands up innocently.

"I'm just saying…You know that every farmer who owns a plot of workable land has a quota to fill of what they provide to the village. As farmers, it's your job to keep up with the needs of your community. Your farm has been, well, lacking in the providing department. These last couple of seasons were a little lean in your area, and you've been short in your quota. I'll admit, I've been a little more lenient than I should be, but I couldn't help it; I'm a giver. But this season I'm going to need you to be more productive. So, I hope your husband gets back soon; the sooner he gets working, the sooner you can fill your quota." Chichi's face contorted in rage, but she spoke calmly, which frightened Gohan more than if she had started shouting.

"I'm sorry you think we've been…lacking in our efforts. I assure you that we do our best with the land and soil we have. Of course, if we had the resources to hire workers…or if sharecropping was allowed in this village…" She mimicked Vegeta's innocent shrug. The lord's lip curled.

"I'm sure," he said, and turned to leave. Chichi crossed her arms, glaring after him. Before they reached the bridge, however, Vegeta turned his head, a sneer curved on his face. "Just remember: if your farm doesn't fill the village quota this year, I'm going to have to evict your family. I'll find someone else who can work this land to its potential." With that, the nobleman turned and strode across the bridge, Nappa following close behind.

Chichi let out a snarl, tugging on her hair.

"That stuck-up, pompous, short….!" She was too angry to finish the insult. Gohan tilted his head towards her, a questioning look on his face.

"Mom, what does 'evict' mean?" Chichi's angry expression slipped, changing from worried, to falsely cheerful, to just uncomfortable. She patted his head gently.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Everything will be fine. As soon as your father gets back…things will be fine…" With a slight inhale of breath, she started down the stairs, picking up a basket next to the firewood pile. "I'm going to go the market to get some bread, since we seem to be out of that too. Don't leave the property, okay?" Gohan nodded, and she left without another word. Gohan got up and went back to practicing with his sword. But he couldn't concentrate on the form he wasn't sure how to execute. His mind lingered relentlessly on Lord Vegeta's poke at his parent's work. His parents worked harder than anyone in the area. It wasn't easy for them to work a plot of rice land with just two people. Gohan helped as much as his mother let him, but he was only six. To hear the governing lord talk like that, like his parents were slacking off on purpose, burned his gut like nothing else. Gohan stopped swinging the piece of wood and crossed his arms, pouting.

"What a jerk," he said to a passing field mouse, "acting like my parents are lazy. They're not lazy!" He stomped towards the rice fields, only a short walk away from the family cottage. The fields were small, only twenty meters square, and packed to the brim with rice paddies. They would have been sufficient for one or two big paddies, but Goku insisted many smaller paddies produced more crop than one big paddy. Gohan knelt at the lip of one small paddy, and watched his reflection ripple in the water. With the harvest just past, there were only sprigs left over underneath the water. "Why can't he just leave us alone?" Gohan asked his reflection. "Why can't everyone in this town leave us alone? I mean, what's wrong with us? What did we ever do to them, or him?" Gohan suddenly felt the need to sing, and he wasn't sure if he could stop it.

_That Lord, Vegeta, he's such a bully._

_That Lord, Vegeta, most mean around._

_The rest, as bad: they're always teasing,_

_I wish there was more to Mount Pouzu town…._

Gohan got up, feeling very alone, and ran away from the paddies. He ran away from his house, all the way to the tree line, where the Son family property ended. Faced with a wall of trees, Gohan looked up into the sky. He wasn't meant for this, this life of poverty and farming. His heart was too adventurous, and he liked to read too much. Well, not as much as the other children; they liked to read their school books and history lore. Gohan liked to read adventure stories about things that didn't actually happen. He wanted to learn how to fight, like his father. He loved his family, but he wished they lived somewhere else. He didn't realize he started singing again until the words were already out of his mouth.

_I wish I could find somewhere to go away,_

_Somewhere exciting and not mild_

_Where I could just be me,_

_Not who they want me to be,_

_Because a farmer's life isn't for this child…_

As the last note died in his throat, a frantic cawing interrupted Gohan's lament. He looked around in time to see Icarus the dragon land with a great thud behind him. Gohan's spirits lifted at the sight of the purple dragon, but then plummeted when he realized Icarus's saddle was empty.

"Icarus, where's Dad?" Gohan asked, hurrying over to take the dragon's reins. Icarus squawked, whisking his tail back and forth vigorously. He looked horribly upset. "Did something happen to Dad?" Gohan asked, pulling Icarus's face close. Icarus's eyes widened meaningfully, and he jerked his head toward the trees. Gohan glanced at the forest, and then back towards his house. Something must have happened to his father, if Icarus came back without him. He knew that he should wait until Chichi got back from town to tell her what had happened, but if Gohan was right and something had gone wrong in the dark forest, then his father might be in trouble, injured even. There might not be time to wait for Chichi. Gohan looked up at Icarus, and felt his resolve settle: he would go to look for his father himself.

Icarus landed on the low side of the quarry just as the sun disappeared behind the clouds. The flight from Mount Pouzu to this spot in the forest had taken longer than Gohan had expected. Though the dragon knew where the lemongrass glen was, he had to pick up Goku's scent before settling down in a sure spot. By then, it was late afternoon. Gohan looked up in awe at the wrought iron gates that stood imposingly before them. Beyond the gates, a massive red-and-black castle loomed like a twisted monster. Gohan tried to spur Icarus back into flight, but for some reason, the dragon refused to move. Something about the gate and the surrounding wall made him too nervous to fly over it. He cawed and stomped his feet, trying to turn around, but Gohan held the reins tightly. "Calm down, Icarus," he said soothingly, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. "It's okay. I'll go, you stay here." He dismounted and approached the gates, his shoulders trembling. Something silver glinted at the base of the gates, and Gohan gasped when he realized the thing was Goku's broadsword. Gohan picked it up by the grip, but it was too heavy for him to lift. "Daddy," he said quietly, gazing up at the imposing castle. He gently set the sword down, and cautiously pushed open the gates.

Meanwhile, deep in the castle, Tien the clock and Yamcha the lantern argued while cleaning up bat guano that had somehow escaped their notice in one of the many lavish hallways. A ghost or two passed them every once and a while, circling the columns or phasing through the ceiling, but the two objects paid them no mind. Normally it was easy to keep the castle clean, but for some reason the rainy season had encouraged the local bats to invite themselves in.

"You just had to talk to him," snapped Tien, shoveling guano into a burlap sack and glaring at the living lantern. "You just had to invite him in. Had to make the guy comfortable, eh? Now look at us; we're on clean up duty, and that poor man is stuck in the tower." Yamcha turned his paper nose up at the scolding clock, dusting the wall where he could reach.

"I was just trying to be friendly," he retorted. "We haven't had a human here in eight years…I thought it might be nice to entertain a visitor." Tien snorted.

"Yeah, well, you've certainly got your wish now; we'll be 'entertaining' this guy for the rest of his life, and ours." Yamcha gave him an even look.

"Given up already, huh?" he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I thought you were better than that, Tien. What about your wife, or your son? You want to give up on them too?" Tien's three eyes darkened and he turned his round face away.

"I just don't see an end, that's all," he said, a pout in his voice. Yamcha sighed and went back to cleaning up.

"Did you hear that guy earlier?" he asked. "I think I heard him actually talking to Piano, like, out loud." Tien rolled his three eyes.

"Poor fellow; the eldest has already gotten to him. Who gave the lord the bright idea to put prisoners in the tower where his brother is perched?" Yamcha snorted.

"No one gave him the idea; he's just still a sadistic jerk like he always has been. He probably thinks being trapped in a tower with a possessed gargoyle is a fitting punishment for trespassers."

"Hello?" Gohan peeked inside the huge castle doors, and gazed around in astonishment at the great entrance hall. He had only seen paintings of castles in the town's market area, sold from the cities where the emperor lived. He wondered what kind of people lived in a castle as grand as this, so far out in the middle of the dark forest. "Hello?" he called again, moving farther into the entrance hall. "Is there anyone here? Daddy? Daddy, are you here?" Gohan jumped at a sound that reminded him of wind blowing, and the door slammed shut. Frightened, but determined, Gohan headed towards the columned hallway he saw leading to the interior of the castle. "Daddy, can you hear me?"

In the castle kitchens, Launch the tea caddy was busy preparing powdered ginger tea for the demon lord, grumbling to herself about how ginger wasn't a reusable commodity, when Chiaozu the prayer beads shuffled up to her, rattling with excitement.

"Mommy, Mommy! There's a little boy in the castle!" Launch looked around at him, her wooden eyebrows raised. Her coloring was yellow and purple, so her voice came out harsh.

"A boy in the castle? Don't be silly, Chiaozu; you're the only kid around here. Unless you saw a ghost, because that's entirely possible." Chiaozu shook his beads and the pendant that was his head.

"No, Mommy, I saw a boy; a real human boy!" He hopped up and down vigorously. "It's the biggest thing ever! We've never had a boy in the castle before!" Launch sighed and went back to grounding up ginger roots.

"Yes we have son," she said sarcastically, "and that's the lord. Don't make up stories, it's not becoming." Chiaozu rattled again, making a groaning noise.

"But mommy-!" But his whining was quickly interrupted by Krillen the sandal, as he ran into the kitchen, trembling with excitement.

"You're not to believe this!" he said, huffing slightly from his run. "There's a little boy in the castle! A real human boy!" He smiled, still breathing heavily. "I thought you might want to know." Launch sneezed, and turned into her gentler purple and yellow form.

"Oh, my," she said, putting a hand to her wooden face.

"I told you so," said Chiaozu.

Tien and Yamcha scooped the guano into a basket and started down the hall towards the grand staircase, which spiraled up several stories, each level leading to another hall deck. Ghosts roamed all the decks, varying on whether or not they used the stairs. Tien kept ranting to Yamcha as they entered one of the many sitting rooms. As Yamcha dumped the waste into a fireplace, Tien continued his scolding.

"He'll probably keep us cleaning up this miserable place for the rest of our unnatural lives!" he raged, kicking a pillow, and then cringing when it growled at him. "Of all the bull-headed, short-sighted, dim-witted -!" Yamcha rolled his glowing eyes as he shoveled the guano onto the coals. The stuff may have smelled bad, but it made excellent fire fuel. The lantern did his best to tune out the yapping clock, when an unfamiliar sound stopped both of them dead in their tracks, or speech.

"Daddy? Hello?" The two of them froze, and then slowly turned around. Out in the grand hallway, a little boy with long black hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a green and yellow tunic and green pants, passed by the archway leading to the sitting room. His big eyes searched the surrounding area with concern and fear. He couldn't have been older than five or six, yet there was great intelligence in his eyes. He passed by the sitting room without noticing the two possessed objects. When the boy was gone, Yamcha and Tien looked at each other in awe.

"Did…Did you see that?" asked Yamcha. Tien nodded, then shook his head, then nodded again. Quickly, the two of them ran out into the hall and stared at the boy as he approached the grand staircase.

"That's a kid!" Yamcha exclaimed, elbowing Tien hard in the side. Tien grumbled.

"Yes, I can see that's a kid," he said tersely, crossing his short arms. Yamcha nodded, his smile slightly manic.

"And….What does that mean…?" he prompted, nudging Tien insistently. Tien shrugged.

"We're probably going to end up in another world of pain when the lord finds out about it." Yamcha groaned and shoved Tien.

"No, you idiot! What are kids?" Tien shrugged again.

"Small?"

"No."

"Messy?"

"No."

"Annoying?"

"No!" Yamcha put a hand to his papery face. "Innocent!" he said, exasperated. "Kids are innocent! Don't you get it Tien? This kid could be the one who lifts the curse!"

That certainly got Tien's attention. He whipped around and started at Yamcha.

"Do what now?!" he gasped, his three eyes wide. But Yamcha, too excited and preoccupied to answer, pelted after the boy. "Yamcha!" Tien hissed. He hesitated, then followed the lantern after the boy as he approached the grand staircase.

Gohan stared up at the spiraling staircase, rising from the entrance hall all the way to the top deck hall. He wasn't sure if he had the energy to climb all those stairs at once, but if he wanted to find his father, he had to start somewhere. Taking a deep breath, Gohan put a foot on the first step.

A quick patter of footsteps made Gohan turn his head. It came from a smaller doorway that led away from the grand staircase. He hesitated, then quickly followed the sound to the doorway. The doorway led to a smaller, yet just as tall, stone staircase, leading up a narrow tower. "Hello is anyone there?" he called. No one answered, but a red glow appeared at the top of the stairs. Someone, or something, was holding a lantern up there. Gohan gasped and ran after the light. "Wait! Do you know where my dad is?" The lantern glow grew smaller, and Gohan ran faster. "Wait, please help me!" Gohan didn't notice how fast he was running until he nearly tripped over the top of the staircase when he expected another step. "Ouch!" He rubbed his knee where it bumped the floor. Gohan looked around, and frowned. The glow came from a red lantern hanging on a hook from the ceiling, but there was no one around who might have been holding it before. "Hello? Is there anyone here?" At first there was no reply. Gohan moved a little farther into the room. The room was large, but it was dimly lit, the only light source being the lantern and natural light from the quickly setting sun. The room was dank and dark, round and made entirely of cold stone. Moss formed in corners and in between cracks in the stones, and the support beams creaked loudly. If Gohan hadn't guessed he had climbed a tower, he would have thought he was in a dungeon. The room seemed empty, but then a small moan sounded from the opposite wall. "Hello?" Gohan called nervously. There was another moan, and then…

"G…Gohan?" Gohan gasped.

"Daddy!" The boy ran across the room to his father, who was chained to the wall by his wrists. Goku smiled weakly at his son. He couldn't move his arms to hug the boy, since they were chained above his head, but he curled his body over as best he could to embrace his son. Gohan buried his face in his father's tunic, his arms wrapped around Goku's middle. "Oh Daddy, what happened to you?" He looked up into Goku's face, his eyes wide with fear. Goku laughed half-heartedly.

"I just got into a little trouble," he said lightly, curling to get closer to his son. "It's nothing, really." Gohan winced as he felt his father's chest.

"Oh, Dad, you're so cold, and you're clothes are wet! I've got to get you home, or you might get sick." As if in confirmation, Goku shivered and let out a horrible cough.

"I'm fine, son, really; it's just a cold." Goku didn't dare tell his son that he was nearly delirious from fever; never drying off from the rain and being thrown into a drafty prison tower had left him in a horrible condition. He cast a glance at the large window directly adjacent to the doorway. Outside, just in his line of sight, an ugly gargoyle carved in the image of a pterodactyl sat on the very edge of a balcony. Goku wasn't sure, but he had an unsettling feeling that the gargoyle was watching him. "Listen, Gohan; I want you to get out of here." Gohan looked up, alarmed, at Goku.

"What? But, Daddy…" Goku shook his head.

"I mean it, Gohan," he said seriously, a shiver wracking his body again. "You have to leave. I can't explain, but you have to leave, now." Gohan shook his head, and pressed his face further into Goku's tunic.

"I can't leave without you," he whimpered.

However, it wasn't Goku's insistence that removed Gohan from his side. A horrible growl sounded behind them, and all of the sudden Gohan was ripped away from Goku and tossed in another corner of the dungeon room, his head hitting the wall and causing spots to appear before his eyes.

"Gohan, run!" Goku cried, struggling against his chains. Gohan groaned and rubbed the back of his head. A large shadow swooped down on the boy and grabbed the front of his tunic, lifting him up off the ground.

"What are you doing here, boy?" the shadow snarled, white fangs glinting inches from the boy's face. Gohan choked, unable to speak out of fear. The shadow grunted, and dropped Gohan onto the floor. Gohan looked up at the shadow, huddling to the wall in an effort to make himself a smaller target.

"Who…Who are you?" he asked, his voice quavering in fear. The shadow glided away, moving closer to Goku. Narrow eyes glittered in the dark.

"I am the lord of this castle; this is my domain." Gohan gulped, but tried to open himself up slightly.

"Wh…Why is my daddy locked up?" he asked. "Did he do something wrong?" The shadow rumbled like a growling bear.

"He trespassed here. No one comes here. His encroachment is a breach in my domain." Goku tugged against the chains more vigorously.

"Let him go!" Goku snarled, glaring up at the shadow. "He's only a child; he has nothing to do with this." The shadow turned and slapped Goku across the face. Gohan let out a small yelp, staring horrified at the red mark forming across his father's cheek.

"Silence, peasant!" the shadow snapped. Gohan felt hot tears welling up in his eyes.

"Please, leave my dad alone!" he pleaded, crawling towards the shadow on his hands and knees. The shadow glowered at the child. Gohan fought the urge to turn away. "Please, let him go. I'm sorry he made you angry, or came here without being invited. But, you can't keep him here." The shadow let out a low rolling laugh that sounded like thunder.

"Oh, can't I?" he said, stepping menacingly towards the boy. Gohan cowered a little, much to his embarrassment. But he didn't break eye contact.

"Please, he's sick. He's cold and shivering, and he could die if he doesn't get warm. We're poor, but I'm sure he and my mom will pay you back for whatever he did. Please, let my daddy go." The shadow looked contemptuously down at the child, his fangs showing a grimace.

"Forget it, boy," he growled, turning away. A cape swished around the shadows feet. "Your father foolishly stepped where he didn't belong, and he will take his punishment." He turned back for a moment, eyes blazing. "If you're smart you'll leave, boy. Leave now, while I'll still let you." Gohan hesitated, seriously considering on heeding his father's order, but instead, he straightened, stood up, and looked directly into the monster's eyes.

"No," he said, as firmly as he could manage with his shaking voice. "I'm not leaving my dad here. If you want a prisoner, you can have me instead."

The shadow balked, eyes widening. Goku gasped and thrashed against his chains.

"What did you say?" asked the shadow.

"No! Gohan, don't say that!" Goku begged, gazing at his son in wide-eyed horror. The shadow ignored the man, moving closer to the boy.

"You would take your father's place…here?" he asked, his voice slightly astonished, as if he was trying to hide his surprise but failing at it. Gohan looked at his father, then back at the shadow, and nodded.

"If I stayed, instead of my daddy, would you let him go home?" Goku let out an angry snarl and yanked at his chains, so hard he nearly dislocated his shoulders.

"No, Gohan, you can't! Leave him alone!" The shadow peered at Gohan, its dark eyes narrowed.

"Hm." It circled him, looking the boy over from all sides. "You're weak on the outside," the shadow spat, mouth curling contemptuously, "but you have some power in you. Dormant power; I can feel it." Gohan gulped; he had no idea what the shadow was talking about, but he didn't care. Maybe that meant it would take him on his offer. The shadow halted in front of him, fangs glinting in a smirk. "That power….it could be useful." Gohan saw a movement that could have been the creature crossing his arms. "If you stay here, it is for forever," said the shadow. "You can never leave if you agree; imprisonment is permanent. Do you understand, kid?" Gohan swallowed hard, wringing his hands. He was about to agree, but then he realized he wasn't sure if he should. This was his freedom he was putting on the line; he was only six after all. And, he didn't even know what his…captor looked like.

"Can…Can you come where I can see you?" Gohan asked, his voice small. "Please?" The shadow shifted, almost as if he were hesitant. Then, slowly, the shadow stepped into the light from the large window outside the tower, where the sun was in the middle of setting. Gohan's eyes widened as the huge, mysterious shadow morphed into a six-foot tall man, with green skin, pointed ears, a round, bald head, and two antennae sprouting from above his brow. Gohan's gaze moved over the pink exposed muscles of the man's arms, the deep maroon cloak that shrouded his shoulders, and the angry black characters that spelled the word "demon" on his dark blue gi. The green man's face was smooth and somehow young, yet at the same time weighed down with years belonging to an older soul. His black eyes burned with anger, but his brow was furrowed in something Gohan wasn't sure he could identify. He could sense the hate and anger radiating from this horrible creature, yet he felt something…else. Gohan inhaled slightly, and shook all over, but he did not break eye contact or give ground.

"Do we have a deal?" the monster asked. Gohan looked from the angry green face to the fearful pale one of his father's. Goku shook his head, a plea on his mouth. Gohan felt resolve settle like mud in his stomach, and then he looked back up at the demon, and nodded.

"It's a deal," he said. The demon smiled evilly, and Goku screamed.

"No, Gohan, you can't!" With a flash, the shackles binding the man broke into pieces, freeing him at last. Goku ran to Gohan and seized his son's shoulders, his face desperate. "Listen to me, son," he said shakily. "You can't stay here. It's too dangerous. You're only a child. I'm an adult, and I can take my punishment. It's not your job to protect me." Gohan opened his mouth to reply, but the demon lord promptly grabbed a hold of the back of Goku's tunic and dragged him away. The man fought against the monster's hold, but the demon was far stronger than he. Shocked, Gohan reached out a hand to his father.

"But, wait…Daddy!" Goku reached back.

"Gohan!"

"Daddy!"

The demon lord quickly spirited the farmer down the tower steps and through the castle to the entrance hall. Goku fought back as hard as he could, but the pull was too strong.

"Please, please," the grown man sobbed, looking imploringly up at the evil lord. "Please, he's my son!" The demon put out a hand and blasted the front doors open with just his energy.

"He's made his decision," he growled, stopping dead at the threshold between the entrance hall and outside. The tips of his brown slip-on shoes didn't even cross the line. "You need not worry about him anymore." Goku groaned, tears brimming in his eyes. The demon lord raised the man to eye level. "If you ever show your face here again, I'll rip your heart out," he hissed. Goku gave him a grimace that was both angry and depressed.

"You're doing that right now, monster," he spat. The demon gritted his teeth and grunted, then flung Goku bodily out of the castle. The toss was so powerful that Goku flew all the way across the stone bridge to slam against the gates. The impact was hard enough to knock Goku out, but not hard enough to break any bones. From inside the castle, the demon lord raised two fingers. Goku's unconscious body floated upward, suspended by invisible power. The demon flicked his fingers, and the peasant farmer flew over the gate and above the trees, destined to land far outside the forest line, right in the middle of his property. He was out of harm's way from the saibamen, who didn't move outside the shelter of the trees, but the cold winter night would leave him in dire straits when Chichi found him an hour later, well after sundown.

The young demon's hand lingered in the air, reaching out slightly to the outside world.

"Lucky devil," he snarled, snatching his hand back bitterly. With a flick of his wrist, the large doors slammed shut, launching an echo through the castle that upset even the ghosts. He turned from the door and stomped down the hall towards the prison tower, his heart weighing heavily with resentment.

The demon lord climbed the stone staircase of the prison tower, one hand on the wall. As he neared the top, the sobs of the little peasant boy grew louder and louder, making his sensitive ears twitch in discomfort. When his foot touched the top step, Yamcha the possessed lantern swung across his path to perch on a small stone outcropping meant to hold torches.

"My lord?" he asked, a tentative smile on his paper face. The demon glared at him.

"What?" he snapped. Yamcha's smile faltered only slightly, proving his resolve.

"My lord, since the kid's going to be staying here for…well, ever, maybe it'd be a good idea to let him stay in one of the resident rooms." The demon growled and swept past Yamcha, his cape nearly knocking the lantern off his perch. "Or not," Yamcha snorted.

Gohan shivered in the cold prison room, tears sliding unchecked down his face. The gargoyle on the tower balcony glared at him from the corner of its eye, a sneer seeming to curl on its beak. The door creaked open, and the demon lord stepped inside. Gohan looked up at him, and let out a sob.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked wretchedly. The demon raised a brow ridge in confusion. Gohan sobbed noisily, rubbing his eyes with the sleeve of his tunic. "I'm never going to see my dad again, and I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. It's not fair!" He let out a wail and threw himself onto the cold floor, crying and beating his fists. The demon grimaced, momentarily disarmed by the child's helplessness. But then he caught the stone eye of the gargoyle, and let out an angry snarl.

"Stop that whining, boy!" he shouted. For some reason, the kid cried even harder, making the demon's ears sting. "Shut up!" Still, he cried. Finally, the demon lord roared with the force of a mountain lion. "Silence! Or I will slit your throat!"

Gohan's crying ended in a hiccup when he heard this utterance. He looked fearfully up at the green man, his eyes double their size.

"Wh…What?" he squeaked. The demon lord crossed his muscular arms, a scowl on his face.

"You may be imprisoned here," he snapped, "but I will not tolerate such weakness! Do you understand?" Gohan nodded, his bottom lip trembling. The demon nodded, his face less scowling and more stern. "That's better. Now, if you would follow me, I'll take you to your room." Gohan, whose eyes had dropped down to the floor, looked back up, astonished, at his imprisoner.

"My…room?" he asked. The demon lord, who had turned to leave, looked back over his shoulder.

"What," he said, "you want to stay up here, in this cold, drafty tower?" Gohan shook his head vigorously. "Well then." The demon gestured to the door. "Come."

Gohan followed the demon up the grand staircase and down a lavish hallway lined with altars and statues. The statues varied in design; some were of fantastic gods and proud heroes from Japanese mythology, and yet others depicted horribly misshapen monsters and fiends. In the dim light from the hanging lanterns, the shadows contorted the statues to frightening intensities that scared Gohan so badly he let out a yelp and ran close to the demon lord's side. At a slight pressure on his hand, the lord looked down to see the little boy pressed close to him, one tiny hand wrapped around his three middle fingers. At first, the lord felt only surprise at the boy's close proximity, staring down at him without missing a step. But he soon got over his shock and cleared his throat.

"If you want to keep that hand, I suggest you back off," he growled menacingly. Gohan squeaked and quickly let go of his hand, eyes wide. "That's better," he said, a little less angrily. Now that things had settled down, the demon lord felt content to drop his intimidating defensive manner and relapse back to the grumpy moroseness he felt every single day of his life. He was, after all, dealing with a child; no threat could come of something so benign.

'_That's what you think_,' growled a persistent voice in the back of his mind. The lord shook his head, trying to ward the presence away.

'_Leave me alone_,' he mentally snapped. At his side, Gohan curiously looked around at the huge wooden columns and hanging blinds.

"This place sure is big," he said in wonder. The demon lord humphed, not looking at him.

"Now listen up kid; you're a prisoner here, but I'm not going to restrict you to any one room. Feel free to wander around as you like." Gohan looked up at him, a small smile crossing his mouth.

"Really?" he asked. He was still upset at having his freedom and family taken away, but there was something about the castle that fascinated him. It was like something from the ancient scrolls in the town records hall that he used to look at. No one in a poor town like Mount Pouzu could possibly dream of living in a place so lavish, not even Lord Vegeta. The demon lord nodded in answer to his question.

"Yep," he said, "just as long as you don't go outside the castle walls, or go to the center keep." At this, Gohan actually halted, his head tilted curiously.

"The center keep?" he said questioningly. The demon lord looked back at him, his face impassive.

"Yes," he said, "The building in the center of the castle. It's up a small flight of stairs and has a pagoda alter on top. You are not to go there, at all." He guessed his tone wasn't serious enough, because Gohan pressed further.

"Why? What's up there?" The demon furrowed his brow, anger starting to flare up again.

"Nothing you need worry about," he said sternly.

"But—"

"Forget it, kid!" he snapped, rounding on the boy with a vengeful look in his dark eyes. "When I say something's forbidden, it's forbidden! Got it?" Gohan shrunk back slightly, and nodded.

"Y-Yes sir," he said, his voice tiny. The demon grunted, and continued on down the hall, not looking back to see if Gohan followed.

The demon lord lead Gohan up another flight of stairs and down yet another hallway before finally halting in front of an elegant set of sliding doors painted with intricate characters. The lord nodded to the doors.

"Here's your room." He pushed the doors aside and gestured for Gohan to go inside. Gohan tentatively poked his head through the doorway. The room was huge, wider than the entire circumference of his house and twice as tall. Ornate silk rugs were spread generously over the wood floor, bright colored tapestries hung from the ceiling depicting battles between the celestial gods and demons from shadow worlds. There was only one window, tall as an oak tree with a set of blinds that could be raised and lowered to varying degrees.

In the middle of the room was a large, lush mound of cushions and quilts that could double as a sofa and a bed. Gohan let out an excited laugh and raced towards the bed. He kicked off his shoes just in time before leaping onto the heap of cushions and quilts. Oh, it was like landing on a cloud. Gohan giggled, burrowing his face into a silk pillow. For a moment, the reality of his imprisonment seemed to slip away.

"This is _soooo_ comfy!" he sighed, rolling around like a kitten. "I've never been on a bed this soft. My bed back home…is…made of…." He broke off, a lump rising in his throat to prevent him from finishing the sentence. The excitement from a few seconds ago suddenly evaporated into nothing. Nice room or not, he was still a prisoner.

Gohan swallowed hard and rolled up into a sitting position. He flushed shyly when he met the cold gaze of the demon lord, still standing like a statue in the doorway. "Um…thanks for the room," he said quietly, twisting his little hands. The lord grunted, his face impassive.

"So, if you need anything….well, just holler. Someone will hear you…probably." He smirked, his black eyes glinting for a moment. "You're probably better off getting it yourself." Gohan's lip quivered, but he didn't let the tears rise, remembering what the lord had said about crying. The demon shifted his weight from foot to foot, almost seeming awkward for a moment, but then he quickly crossed his arms and started out the door. "Well, see you around, I guess."

Gohan gasped and jumped off the bed, a protest on his lips. The green man looked back over his shoulder.

"What?" Gohan shuffled his feet, his shoulders trembling. He couldn't tell if he was more frightened or embarrassed, standing before this mighty creature. It was obvious how powerful he was; energy and strength just seemed to radiate form him. Yet, there was something very vulnerable about the green man, something sad that shone out through the anger. Gohan gulped, then asked shyly, "Um, I was wondering, what's your name?"

The demon lord's eyes widened. For a second, he wasn't sure if he heard the boy correctly. If he did, it was the last thing he would have expected such a thing to come out of his captive's mouth.

"What's my…what?" he asked, his voice coming out in a whisper. The boy looked down at his feet, his cheeks growing red, but his shoulders continued to tremble in fear.

"I asked what your name was," the boy said meekly. He raised his eyes, and for a moment the lord was shocked to find he actually saw hope in those young eyes. "My name's Gohan." The green man felt something thud, hard in his chest, and his mouth suddenly went dry. Those eyes held…something….

He promptly shook himself and fixed his face back in an impassive mask.

"It's Piccolo," he said gruffly, "Piccolo Jr. I'm named after my father, Piccolo Daimaou." Gohan's face brightened.

"That's an interesting name," he said softly. "What does it mean?" Piccolo huffed and turned away.

"It means 'Other World'," he growled. He started to leave, but a small sound from the boy stopped him once more. Piccolo sighed, putting his thumb and forefinger to his eye ridges. He was starting to think keeping the kid here wasn't such a good idea. He looked back over his shoulder again, scowling. "What now?"

Gohan balked and fidgeted under Piccolo's intense gaze. He seriously considered abandoning his question for fear of angering the demon, but the sudden churning cramp in his stomach convinced him otherwise.

"Um, I was just wondering…" He hoped Piccolo could hear him, since he couldn't seem to raise his voice any higher than a squeak. Piccolo's lip curled in a snarl.

"Spit it out, kid," he snapped. Gohan shivered.

"Um, I'm pretty hungry," he said. "I was wondering if I could have something to eat, please." He looked up from beneath the brim of his hat. "I know it's probably past dinner, but I haven't eaten anything since this morning." Piccolo stared at him, his eyes slowly widening and his scowl slipping a bit. Gohan took a step back, wondering if he'd been too forward. Maybe he should have been more humble; he was a peasant talking to a lord, after all.

The silence between the two stretched for an uncomfortable amount of time. Gohan found himself unable to keep eye contact for too long, and his shoulders ached from holding still. Finally, a low sound rolled out of Piccolo's chest, something Gohan didn't expect at all. It started soft, subdued, but quickly built up until it his teeth could no longer contain it. Piccolo opened his mouth and let out a laugh that tumbled out in a continuous flood. He threw his head back and laughed so hard the walls seemed to tremble. His broad shoulders shook and his wide chest heaved with the laughter, his fangs glittering in the lantern light. Gohan would have caught the laughter as well, if it was real, light-hearted laughter. But this wasn't the kind of laughter one made when he was happy. This was cold, mirthless, mocking laughter of someone amused at the expense of another. It sent chills up Gohan's spine, and he felt the vibrations pounding at his chest. He fought the urge to shrink away from the horrible laughter, and just barely kept his hands clasped in front of him instead of covering his ears. He was sure showing any sign of fear would not be wise at this moment.

When Piccolo finally stopped laughing, he gave Gohan a sneer that could cut through armor.

"I don't eat, foolish boy," he rasped. "Never have. If you want food you're going to have to find it yourself." Gohan gaped up at him, his breath catching in his throat. Piccolo's face darkened and he suddenly stomped over to loom above the boy. This time, Gohan actually flinched. "In case you didn't realize it, you're not safe at home with your mother anymore," he said coldly. "You are a prisoner here. No one's going to coddle you like a baby and see to your every need. Yeah, you can ask for stuff, and I've got servants who _might_ attend to you, but they're not obliged to." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "You're going to have to learn to take care of yourself now, because I'm not going to do it!" The last part came out as a yell, and Gohan stumbled backward into the bed. Before he could voice a protest, Piccolo turned and swept out of the room. Just before left, however, he paused and offered the boy another smirk.

"I wouldn't go wandering around tonight though. Strange things happen in this castle at night; wouldn't want you to be shredded by a spirit after you just got here." He then curved his mouth in a smile. "Good night, Gohan." With that, the lord left, slamming the screen shut behind him.

Gohan stared, mouth agape, at the door. A cold, sinister dread settled onto his shoulders, and he nearly lost his balance from fear right then. He turned and shakily crawled up onto the bed and curled into a ball, his eyes wide open. Only then did he allow the tears to fall.


End file.
